The present invention relates to a non-contact IC card for use in a radio frequency Identification (RFID) system. More particularly, this invention relates to a non-contact IC card for use in a non-contact IC card system in which personal data is read in non-contact condition.
A non-contact IC card disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-312445 (1998) is known as a conventional non-contact IC card.
FIG. 17 is a block diagram of the conventional non-contact IC card.
In FIG. 17, non-contact IC card 19 permits its stored information to be read in non-contact condition. Proximity type non-contact unit 20 is constructed of proximity type antenna 21 and proximity type communication controller 22. Proximity type antenna 21 transmits and receives a radio wave in communication with a nearby external device or in reception of electric power from the nearby external device. Proximity type communication controller 22 includes proximity modulator/demodulator 23 and proximity power supply 24. Proximity modulator/demodulator 23 has the function of controlling data communication with the nearby external device, and proximity power supply 24 has the function of converting the radio wave, which is incident on proximity type antenna 21 from the nearby external device, to the electric power.
Remote type non-contact unit 25 is constructed of remote type antenna 26 and remote type communication controller 27. Remote type antenna 26 transmits and receives a radio wave in communication with a remote external device or in reception of electric power from the remote external device. Remote type communication controller 27 includes remote modulator/demodulator 28 and remote power supply 29. Remote modulator/demodulator 28 has the function of controlling data communication with the remote external device, and remote power supply 29 has the function of converting the radio wave, which is incident on remote type antenna 26 from the remote external device, to the electric power.
Microprocessor (MPU) 30 includes information storage unit 31, which stores a program for processing information within non-contact IC card 19 in response to an external instruction, and information processing unit 32, which runs the program stored in information storage unit 31 in accordance with the external instruction to perform information processing such as operation on data.
Power storage unit 33 stores the electric power, which is transmitted from proximity and remote power supplies 24, 29, temporarily and supplies the electric power to effect the operation of information processing unit 32.
By having the structure described above, one non-contact IC card 19 is usable both in proximate and remote modes. Moreover, a program for automatically discriminating between the proximate mode and the remote mode based on the received radio wave is stored in information storage unit 31. When the radio wave is received, information processing unit 32 runs this program, so that internal processing in IC card 19 can be set automatically, the proximity type function can be performed in a field requiring high security, and the remote type function can be performed in a field requiring convenience.
Because above-described conventional non-contact IC card 19 includes the antenna and the communication controller for each of the proximate and remote modes, it is difficult to reduce the size and cost of IC card 19. Since it has been desired recently that a non-contact IC card be small, low-cost and usable both in a long-distance non-contact IC card system (e.g. an entry and exit system) and in a noncontact IC card system (e.g. a financial system) requiring high security, reduced size and reduced cost are demanded of the non-contact IC card.
Conventional non-contact IC card 19 is hard to use in the non-contact IC card system that requires contact use for high security because the setting of whether IC card 19 is used at great distance or in contact condition depends on the radio wave received from the external device.
Further, a non-contact IC card incorporating many services is on its way to becoming mainstream. Accordingly, it is desired that its IC chip be usable both in the long-distance non-contact IC card system and in the non-contact IC card system used for the service requiring high security and be low-cost and small.
The above-described conventional non-contact IC card, however, uses an IC chip, the size and cost of which are hard to reduce, because this conventional IC card requires antennas 21, 26 of proximity and remote types, communication controllers 22, 27 of proximity and remote types and others for use in the long-distance non-contact IC card system and in the non-contact IC card system requiring the contact use.
A non-contact IC card includes:
an information storage unit for storing information;
a communication controller for controlling communication with an external device;
a loop antenna for transmitting and receiving a radio wave to and from the external device; and
a changeover switch for changing a communication distance between the external device and the card.